Police on Friday were investigating if the same man tried abducting two high school girls in southwest suburban Bolingbrook this week.

On Tuesday afternoon, a 16-year-old girl told authorities she was walking home from Bolingbrook High School when a man tried pulling her into a blue Ford Explorer at Radcliff Drive and Old Stone Road.

The attacker, a black man with short hair, a muscular build and tight shirt, was scared off by a passer-by who saw the struggle and yelled at him.

Fewer than 48 hours later, another 16-year-old girl was attacked while coming home from school to an apartment in the 300 block of Woodcreek Drive, police said.

"She was grabbed from behind as she entered a hallway on the second floor," Lt. Mike Rompa said. "The victim fought off the attack and the offender fled (west) on foot toward neighboring Plimmer Park."

That attacker was described as a black man who stood about 5 feet, 5 inches tall. He had a stocky build and was wearing a red jacket, police said.